THERE’S a high degree of uncertainty over how big the traditional March new plate car sales bonazana will be.
Continuing supply restraints, along with economic and geo-political uncertainty, are further factors that may dampen enthusiasm for the latest 22 registration plate.
According to automotive publisher Autovia, private new-car orders could be postponed despite the tradition of being first on the road with the new plate.
The potential issue was highlighted in research by Autovia’s flagship title Auto Express: it found that almost half of new car buyers say they would consider postponing an order if the car didn’t arrive in time for the latest plate.
As the industry gears up for what would normally be its biggest sales month – with the arrival of the March 22 plate – research into the attitudes of Auto Express and Carbuyer readers suggests that 45% would consider postponing a new-car order if it couldn’t be delivered in time to sport the latest new plate.
The latest findings also confirm previous research by Autovia, showing that fewer than one in four car buyers believe the plate on a car no longer matters. Back in 2016, 22% of buyers said they believed the plate to be irrelevant and in 2022 that figure stands at 22.2%.
Steve Fowler, editor-in-chief at Autovia, said: “March 2022 looks like being a very difficult month to predict, even in a fast-recovering market, due to many people remaining strongly attached to the thrill of the very latest plate.
“In principle it seems that a very significant minority are prepared to defer their purchases if the car cannot be registered exactly when they want.”
Ralph Morton is the leading journalist in the leasing broker sector and editor of Broker News, the website which provides information and news for BVRLA-registered leasing brokers. He also writes extensively on the fleet and leasing market in both the UK and Europe.
